Energy

Both sides pump big bucks into Prop 87 fight

October 20, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee (California)</p> <p>Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, vouched for the initiative's safeguards. "California has some of the toughest political reform provisions and open-meeting laws in the nation," he said. "And this existing agency will be subject to those laws. That gives consumer agencies, like mine, an opportunity to hold it accountable."</p>

Invest in the future, not war;

October 20, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Candidate supports Prop 87</h3><p class="source">Marin Independent Journal (California)</p> <p>Proposition 87 is a step in the right direction. It taxes the oil producers. In general, if one is going to tax people for a bad habit, I favor taxing the pushers, not the users, particularly when the pushers in this case have so much money and political influence at their disposal.</p>

Corporations on spending tear — Big Oil, tobacco firms pour big money into campaigns

October 20, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Big business campaign funding, mostly to thwart initiatives, has hit $157 million so far this election</h3><p class="source">The San Jose Mercury News (California)</p> <p>Philip Morris, RJ Reynolds, Chevron and Aera Energy (ExxonMobil and Shell), the top four corporate donors, have contributed $108 million alone. "The millions spent by oil and tobacco companies are designed to drown out the voices of the other side," said Carmen Balber, spokeswoman for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. "And it's used to overwhelm voters with a barrage of negative advertising." By comparison, corporations have outspent unions, another group not shy about putting money into campaigns, by a 12-to-1 margin in this election.</p>

Difference in Post-Katrina Gas Price Drop vs. Pre-Election Gas Price Drop

October 18, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

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CA Gas Inventory Chart 2006 vs. 2005

October 18, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

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Letter from Tim Hamilton RE: Gas Price Fixing in Election Years

October 16, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

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Clinton endorses Calif. oil tax vote (Prop 87)

October 13, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">UPI - United Press International</p> <p>Prop. 87 is also endorsed by former Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., as well as many state and local politicians. Groups such as the state American Lung Association, Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights and Americans for Energy Independence, among others, have also signed onto the proposal.</p>

Gas Man Pumps Cash Into Arnold’s Spare Tank

October 10, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Less than a month after announcing a $287 million stock offering to raise cash to build a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plant in the Western United States, a company owned by Texas energy mogul T....</font>

Pricey campaigns & political rap

October 8, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Contra Costa Times (California)</p> <p>PROPOSITION 89 HAS ITS OWN SONG: TV adds, radio spots, newspapers ads, campaign Web sites, forums, protests... When it comes to getting their message out, the folks behind YesOn89 -- the so-called Clean Money proposition -- are thinking outside the box.</p>

I’ll Be Back- To Collect More Special Interest $ Than Any California Politician Ever

September 30, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<font face="Verdana,helvetica,Arial"> </font><!-- body text starts --><!-- startbodytext --> <font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">The special interest cash keeps rolling in to Arnold's campaign committees... He has now taken ...</font>

Chart – CA Gas Pump Price vs. Crude Oil Price

September 27, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

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Gasoline prices fall 13 cents this week

September 24, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune (California)</p> <p>The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica believes that manipulation of state gasoline supply did play a role in rising prices here. Judy Dugan, research director for the foundation, said inventory and production data from the California Energy Commission showed increases in gasoline for export at critical points during the summer run-up, which she said was evidence of market manipulation.</p>